However, keep in mind that every pet is different, and you may need to adjust your feedings based on their needs to get to the outcome you’re looking for. Here’s what you can do right now to rein in the calorie count while keeping your pet healthy and satiated. Holistic vets concur: Too-large portions in the food bowl and too many handouts are making our pets fat. How do you put your dog or cat on a weight-loss plan? Helping your pet shed excess pounds through a healthy diet and increased activity is a smart way to do it. How do you know if your pet needs to lose weight? The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention has a breed-based weight range chart for dogs and cats.Ĭertainly, you’ll want to get the most out of life with your furry friend. While the effect of obesity on cat lifespans is less clear, your holistic vet would likely urge you to get your furry friend to a healthy weight. That’s according to a comprehensive study by the University of Liverpool published in early 2019 that examined 20 years’ worth of data collected on 50,000 dogs and 12 breeds. Obese dogs have shorter lifespans by an average of two years. Breathing becomes more labored, making walks and ball tosses less fun.īut here’s the part that’s really unsettling. Extra bulk puts more pressure on the lungs.Older pets may have difficulty walking, playing and doing the things they love because the excess weight can exacerbate joint pain caused by arthritis.But it’s widely cited that pudgy pets carry an elevated risk of secondary conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, and cancer.Īside from health issues, being overweight or obese can diminish a pet’s quality of life. In this scale, 1 is excessively thin, 9 is obese, and 5 is ideal.Ĭompared to human scale numbers, those 5, 4, even 3 pounds of extra baggage on your pet may not seem like a big deal. These pets have a body condition score of 6-7 on a 9-point scale. How many pets are carrying extra weight? According to the 2018 survey results from the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, 50 million cats and 56 million dogs in the U.S. But the truth is, most do not realize our pets are overweight and that is unhealthy for them. When our pets gain weight, we may think that squishy pudge around their middles makes them even cuter and gives us more to cuddle. We, humans, create meaningful bonding experiences over food and it’s no different when we spend time with our animal friends. Your vet mentioned your pet needs to lose weight and that can be hard.We get it: Doling out treats and bites of your delicious dinner makes your dog happy and your cat purr with contentment.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |